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How to socialise your dog

Socialising your dog is best to start as early as possible from when you get them as a puppy however if you get your dog when they are an adult, it is still possible to socialise them now. It is a process that is never too late and will continue throughout their lives. There are many scenarios that your dog will not be used to that will occur over your dogs life time including strangers visiting your house, large and loud vehicles, machine machines and other animals. The more you expose your puppy or dog to the more social he will become.

The correct way to socialise a dog to anything new to them is the do it gradually. For example, if your dog has never seen a vacuum cleaner before then turn it on in a different room to them – this way it won’t be too loud for them and they will probably want to go and see what it is. If your dog feels scared then you are giving them the option not to come into the area that is scaring then which will help them gradually accept the noise. If your dog comes to the vacuum then ensure this is a positive moment by placing a treat near the vacuum so they associate it with good things. If your dog seems too scared or doesn’t come to the vacuum, try turning it off first and placing a treat near it.

Allow visitors over to your home from the moment you get your puppy, encourage them to stroke and play with your dog showing the dog that strangers are not to be feared. If you have children or your friends and family do then allow them to play together from an early age under supervision. Dogs will always come into contact with children even if you do not have any of your own, they may see them on walks, at the beach or on holiday so it is important that your dog is used to them. Gradually introducing your dog to different noises, places and scenarios will help them deal with them in the future well and will soon just be seen as normal for your dog.

Your dog will also need to learn how to interact with other new dogs. If you teach them how to interact correctly then this will stay with them through to their adult years. Puppies like to play with one another which is a vital part of development for dogs. The main this they learn from each other is not to bite. This is usually taught from an adult dog to a puppy dog which teaches the puppy to limit the strength of their bites. Whilst playing with other dogs is helpful, it is up to you to teach your dog that biting humans is not allowed. Every time you puppy bites you, you should scream or make a loud noise to startle your dog. This will teach them that they are not allowed to put their teeth on skin.

Whilst the initial part of dog training maybe seem daunting, if you take things slowly then it will work for both your dog and yourself. There are selections of dog training products on the market to help aid your training schedule with your dog however you must continue with socialising your dog to new things throughout their adult life also.